from:"Benseraglio2"



NCC Hails End to Consumer Boycott of Taco Bell: Second Major Industry-Worker Settlement in Year
"This is really, really good news," declared National Council of Churches USA General Secretary Bob Edgar in response to Tuesday's announcement of the end of the three-year consumer boycott of Taco Bell. In a joint statement, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which had called the boycott and enlisted the support of the NCC and many other groups, and Taco Bell confirmed their agreement to work together to address the wages and working conditions of farm workers in the Florida tomato industry.

Said the Rev. Dr. Edgar, "This is especially good news on the heels of the disappointing vote yesterday in the U.S. Senate not to raise the minimum wage. It's good news for another set of workers who have been exploited, and for the religious community, which has been so active in the boycott. I know the NCC's President, Bishop Thomas Hoyt, Jr., who took this on as one of his priority issues, is especially pleased. I hope this victory will energize all efforts to provide working people with a living wage." Dr. Edgar quipped: "Taco Bell and Mt. Olive Pickle Company products go well together," a reference to another consumer boycott that recently ended in a contract for farm workers.
http://www.councilofchurches.org/



Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] FYI: Pay to Play Legislation in Trouble




One thing that always puzzles me about this local Republican slime campaign orchestrated by Karl Rove is that "pay-to-play" is the name of the game in Washington politics, more among Republicans than Democrats, but definitely the name of the game.

Halliburton has been paying to play for years, and they get tiny slaps on the wrist. Tom DeLay is the poster boy for pay-to-play, and the House Republicans change the "ethics" rules so that he can continue in his seat even after he is indicted.

But when a Democratic (and most significantly, an African-American) local administration tries to get into the game, there are all these hysterical assholes howling in chorus about "pay-to-play", "pay-to-play", as though this is some particularly vile vice that the darkies have just thought up.

Oy vey ist mir.


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

In a message dated 3/15/2005 11:01:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Folks,I heard that Blackwell is *not* supporting this legislation. Pleasetake whatever action seems appropriate.--- Chip

Re: [UC] Microsoft school in westphila [article - exegesis]




Don't know where you got your education, Miggle, but that's "peeling".

It's patent nonsense to say that "the lack of a decent physical plant is a direct indicator of Philadelphia's commitment to education."

The lack of a decent physical plant is the direct result of racist residential segregation. Step across the border into the white suburbs if you think that isn't true. Quality of physical plant is directly correlated with the wealth of the district. In Amerikkka the white people have the money so the white people get the decent schools. 

Talk to some of the truly dedicated educators who give their lives to teaching in the Philly school system and hear what they have to say about the President's demonic unfunded "No child left behind" racist initiative.

Don't make me puke Miggle. Stick to talking about water heaters and chimneys where you seem to know partially whereof you speak.


Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html


In a message dated 3/15/2005 11:56:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Decrepit facilities, from pealing paint and lack of desks to lack of "contemporary tools," -- yes, computers and laptops -- heads their list of objections. They see the lack of a decent physical plant as a direct indicator of Philadelphia's commitment to education. [Remember the broken window theory? True or not it has a significant impact.]

Re: [UC] Microsoft school in westphila [article - exegesis]




In a message dated 3/15/2005 5:19:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
The fact remains that these individuals refuse to teach in the Philadelphia School System BECAUSE of the condition of the Physical Plant, which they view as the Commitment of the City towards education.
"These individuals", presumably friends of yours, are yuppie pussies and dweebs. "No buttered scones for me, mater, I'm off to play the grahnd piano." The real teachers are down in the trenches. Don't fuck with me Miggle, I'm feeling tense.



Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] Chinese churches

2005-03-14 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 3/14/2005 10:47:14 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

A friendis hostinga visiting researcher in town for a while. She is looking for a church in the neighborhood where Chinese people go. Does anyone have any suggestions?

-- Tony West

Abundant Life Chinese Mennonite Church
1731 S Broad
215-463-0909

Love Truth Chinese Mennonite Church
600 W Chew Avenue
215-924-2248

I believe they both hold services in Cantonese, although both pastors probably speak Mandarin as well.





Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] Don't Forget About The Dog Poo In The Recycling Bucket

2005-03-11 Thread Benseraglio2

In a message dated 3/11/2005 10:06:37 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Scrunch the Cat just cleaned out his litterbox, and would be happy to donate some cat poo...
A terrifying little news item for all you cat owners who think you're safe:

Cat Shoots Owner

BATES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (March 10) - A man cooking in his kitchen was shot after one of his cats knocked his 9mm handgun onto the floor, discharging the weapon, Michigan State Police said.

Joseph Stanton, 29, of Bates Township in Iron County, was shot in his lower torso around 6 p.m. Tuesday, the state police post in Iron River reported. He was transported to Iron County Community Hospital.

Michelle Sand, a spokeswoman at the Iron River hospital, said Stanton was treated there before being transferred to Marquette General Hospital for further treatment. But Marcie Miller, a representative of the Marquette facility, said there was no record of the hospital receiving a patient by that name.

A telephone message seeking comment was left Wednesday at Stanton's home.

State police said he was cooking at his stove when the cat knocked the loaded gun off the kitchen counter behind him.

AP-NY-03-10-05 1042EST

Also, FWIW, it just occurred to me that Cass probably picked up his Scat Spotting skills in law school. I would imagine it's on the curriculum at Yale Law or Columbia or whatever fine school he attended.

On another topic, so I don't have to squander more of my valuable quota, I have a question for the list. Does anybody know the origin of the phrase "kiss my bender?"

Last night I found myself for some inexplicable reason reading Stephen King's "Dreamcatcher" (2001) and found that he uses the phrase repeatedly. I did a quick google and it seems that the phrase is fairly recent and may actually have originated with him. Of course when I get time I'll do a more scientific survey, but if anyone else has any info please let me know.

Also, I opened up Google News this morning to find this headline:

Judge describes Ross as pathetic, tragic personKWQC-TV,IA- 1 hour ago

It gave me quite a start, let me tell you. Some days it just doesn't pay to read the newspapers.

Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] Don't Forget About The Dog Poo In The Recycling Bucket

2005-03-10 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 3/10/2005 8:26:58 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
No, I can't think of anything that I have done that would cause anyone to be cross with me, let alone sully my recyling bucket, and the buckets of my near neighbors, with small bags of dog poo.
Not that I really want to sully myself with the sordid details or anything, but all of this idle chit-chat has got me wondering. My question, if I can phrase it delicately, is HOW precisely do you know that it is, er, *dog* "poo". I mean, have you sent itto the lab and had it analyzed? Did you actually take it out of the bag and eyeball it? And if you did, again the question arises, how did you know that it was *dog* poo, and not the scat of some other common neighborhood pest?

Have you been trained from childhood in the art of identifying species of feces? Are you like one of those pookah sahib white hunters who can spot an elephant turd at 50 paces and distinguish it from that of a rhino? Were you an Eagle Scout like young Andersen, obtaining your special merit badge in Poop Spotting?

Again, I really wish I hadn't poked my nose, so to speak, into this discussion, if you can call it a discussion, but the more I ponder upon it the more curious I become.




Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

[UC] Entrepreneurs' Tactic Is to Buy Up Homes by Hundreds

2005-03-05 Thread Benseraglio2

Any comments from our local real estate honchos?

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/indus.html

Entrepreneurs' Tactic Is to Buy Up Homes by HundredsWorking-Class Neighborhoods Offer Better 'Rental Yield'; Leaky Pipes, Late Payments

By JAMES R. HAGERTY, Staff Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

TRENTON, N.J. (March 4) -- Many people agonize for months before deciding to buy a house. Jonas P. Lee is more decisive: He often buys several in a day.

This year, the 38-year-old Mr. Lee says he plans to buy more than 1,000 homes for Redbrick Partners LP, a New York firm he runs with the help of an MIT economist to invest in single-family rental property. What millions of mom-and-pop landlords do locally, Redbrick is trying to do on a grander scale.

Mr. Lee, a former Web entrepreneur who grew up in New York's posh Westchester County, doesn't see much value in most suburbs at today's lofty prices. Instead, he is buying in working-class neighborhoods in such cities as Baltimore, Philadelphia and Trenton. Even there, however, he is running into tough competition from people determined to cash in on America's decade-long housing boom.

On average, house prices in the U.S. have jumped 85% over the past decade, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. Prices have soared largely because low interest rates have cut the cost of financing a home. In coastal areas, the rise has been far steeper. In California, for example, prices have more than doubled in just the past five years.

Mr. Lee's venture is an unusual sign of the investment frenzy now surrounding residential real estate. The National Association of Realtors estimates that 23% of home purchases last year involved investment properties. Redbrick's pitch is that investors can join this gold rush without the ordeals of being a landlord.

Many real-estate investment trusts and other funds invest in apartment buildings. But the complications of owning hundreds of single-family homes are so daunting that large real-estate companies generally shun that market.

One of Mr. Lee's tactics is to find a landlord who owns 20 or 30 houses and has been worn down by the trials of collecting rent and fixing leaky toilets. Redbrick then can buy homes in bulk and hire local managers to take care of the properties. He also uses a formula created by his economist partners to identify markets -- usually low-profile working-class neighborhoods -- that have undervalued homes with potential for high rents.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=20050304064509990007

Re: [UC] Free Fish Tank and Fish Stuff

2005-03-03 Thread Benseraglio2

In a message dated 3/3/2005 6:04:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
In your message before this to the list, you said: "All these sick cat stories is making me glad that we stuck to dogs and kids". Did you keep the kids or the dogs in the fish tank?Elliot
I'm glad you asked that question. Reminded me of my childhood, when we were so poor that my parents kept all nine of us kids in a fish tank in the back yard. My old Dad would bring home tadpoles and guppies from the crick where he eked out a living as a fisherman, dropping hand grenades into the deep pools to bring the critters to the surface. My Mum would roll them in gravel and fry them up. Course there was never enough to go around, and eventually we had to eat my youngest brother Lavoid.

But we had good times, though we were poor. I remember in the summer we'd rent a hot tub and all of us kids would cavort all through the long evenings until the cows came home. For a special treat my Mum would build up an extra hot fire under the tub, using old balusters and antique mantel pieces she had scavenged during the day. Then we'd toss the guppies and prawns and placentas into the water and boil them until they were just right, dip them in clarified butter with lemon, dill, and just a pinch of raw opium and scarf 'em down.

One time Dad brought home a tiger shark that had found its way into the upper reaches of the Delaware River and we threw it in the pot. Bad idea, cause it gobbled up all the guppies n shit and then the mothertrucker exploded. Fish was flying everywhere. Little tiny fragments all over the Winnebago. No supper for us that night. We had to send out for Chinese.

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/indus.html

[UC] UNIVCITY LIST FEBRUARY 2005 STATS -- OTHER POSTERS

2005-03-02 Thread Benseraglio2









HERONS
7

FISHER
7

DAS
7

STERN
6

CLARKE
6

WIDYONO
5

MARLEVI
5

FIORILLO
5

SANDERSON
4

PMUYEHARA
4

NICOLARY
4

MCKEE
4

MCEWAN
4

LEWARS-POOLE
4

FLUFFY
4

FLAUMENHAFT
4

CUMMINGS
4

BUCHHOLTZ
4

WEST
3

TSAI
3

TANCREDI
3

SNYDER
3

SHAERA
3

NAOMIRIE
3

MYERS
3

MLAMOND
3

JENSEN
3

HARVEY
3

DAVEAXLER
3

BRUCEWMCC
3

YOK
2

TATEMCH
2

ST MARY'S CHURCH
2

SCHULTZ
2

SCHECKTER
2

O'QUINN
2

NAOMI
2

MOORE, JON
2

MINNIS
2

MILLER, CHRISTINE
2

MICHAEL
2

MATA
2

MASSEY
2

MARUCA
2

MALLOY
2

JASTRZAB
2

GRESHAM-CHIN
2

DESMOND
2

CRANE
2

BRONSWOLFE
2

VINCENT/ROGER
1

RUMAIN, M
1

RUMAIN, J
1

REINHARDT
1

OLAYA
1

MOSETTER
1

MOORE, JESSICA
1

MILLER, CINDY
1

LOWER
1

KULICK
1

KREIDLEA
1

KDOMENIC
1

JONES
1

JAYFAR
1

INNES
1

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
1

HIBBARD
1

HESSON
1

GROSSMAN
1

GREGORYDOWNS1
1

GRABELLE
1

GIORNO
1

FRISHKOFF
1

FLORES
1

FISHBURN
1

EWBANK
1

EMKO
1

DILLER
1

CLAPPER
1

CARBON
1

BTILLEY1
1

ANDERSON
1

ABRAHAMSON
1

SUBSCRIBERS AS OF MARCH 1

UNIVCITY 298
CULTURE 97
ANNOUNCE 50

see http://rossbender.org/ucstats.html for cumulative stats

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/deadbrain1.html

[UC] UNIVCITY LIST FEBRUARY 2005 STATS

2005-03-01 Thread Benseraglio2









MESSAGE VOLUME





1-Feb
36

2-Feb
28

3-Feb
15

4-Feb
31

5-Feb
14

6-Feb
4

7-Feb
24

8-Feb
12

9-Feb
21

10-Feb
36

11-Feb
24

12-Feb
9

13-Feb
6

14-Feb
21

15-Feb
22

16-Feb
18

17-Feb
43

18-Feb
54

19-Feb
8

20-Feb
7

21-Feb
38

22-Feb
29

23-Feb
29

24-Feb
14

25-Feb
25

26-Feb
8

27-Feb
5

28-Feb
14

TOTAL
595







TOP TWENTY THREE POSTERS





DILLER
38

CASSIDY
36

CRAIGSOLVE
35

MAGILL
25

BENSERAGLIO2
25

CASS
23

JACOBSON
19

KRULL
18

ELLINGSWORTH
17

LASERBEAM
16

COYLE
16

BGANDERSEN
15

ALI
14

CAMPION
13

BASHOWELL
13

SIANO
12

KRFAPT
10

ALLEN
9

WOLFE, J MATTHEW
8

SOTO, WILMA DE
8

RHOADES
8

MAYER
8

DUBIN
8







TOP TEN TOPICS





PARKING RAGE
49

THE BRIDGE, KICKED OUT OF, WHAT TO BRING ETC
37

CATS, CATS, CATS
31

SOCIAL LIFE IN UC
31

TONE OF THE LIST
26

[PHILLYBLOCKS]
19

KERRY/EDWARDS POSTERS
18

AGE ON THE LIST
17

NO SUBJECT
13

FREE RIDE, CLASSES,PASTE, DENIM
13



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/wisdom.html

Re: [UC] Vote in Santorum's Online Poll on Social Security Privat ization

2005-02-25 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/25/2005 9:01:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Ha! I love the photo of santorum giving ted kennedy gino's cheese steaks. 
Kill them with kindness ... 
Speaking of santorum and social security, has anybody seen the first slime in the Republican smear campaign against AARP? Shows a big red X on a picture of a soldier and a big blue checkmark on a picture of a gay couple getting married. Caption reads "The real AARP agenda." Has to be seen to be believed. I've posted it at 

http://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

This is the social security version of Swift Boat. Is it 1984 yet?



Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] Kicked out of The Bridge

2005-02-23 Thread Benseraglio2

I dunno Cassidy. You're starting to make me a little nervous. I mean *Diller*?? In the *rafters*? With firearms?? Anybody who is familiar with the guy knows that he can't hit the broad side of a barn door with a Bulgarian Shipka let alone a high velocity gun with a scope. And that's when he's sober. Until now I've always felt fairly sanguine about attending Le Cinema Luxe @ the Bridge.Generally thehomeboys who bring theirlugars know what they're doing and hit their targets with a fair degree of precision but start turningfarmers like Diller loose with their friggin paintballs and God only knows what would happen.

Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org/deadbrain1.html

In a message dated 2/23/2005 9:24:11 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

i'm all about it. i say we arm diller with a high velocity 4mm paintball gun with a night vision scope and put him in the rafters. anybody who talks or answers a cell phone during the movie gets one in the forehead. after the show, anyone with the "mark of caine" is fair game for those patrons sensible enough to pack heat to the theater.
we'll show art flix in the cinemagic -- we'll just call it the ritz 3 west -- it'll be months before their lawyers can slap a cease and decist on us. after which time we'll just change the name again to the Rats 3 West and nobody will realize.
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: UnivCity@list.purple.com Sent: 2/22/2005 10:50 PM Subject: Re: [UC] Kicked out of The Bridge
Kyle Cassidy wrote: After recent bouts of _ADULTS_ complete misbehavior at the bridge, christy and I have just given up seeing movies there. We joined Neflix. Now we only go to the bridge for the gunfights.
kyle, lets you and I start our own art movie house. where that moribund slough art place is. we could show fassbinders and hitchcocks and polanskis and bergmans and kubricks and bugs bunny shorts. and give out discount coupons for the metropolitan bakery. free admission for best sca costumes. of course, any weaponry we'd confiscate would go to diller, and ross could do his shadow puppet safety tips during intermission. all we'd need is a fully-equiped bathhouse, but I'm sure someone could help us with that. whaddya say?
. laserbeam® [aka ray] scrunch could sleep in the front window

Re: [UC] Kicked out of The Bridge

2005-02-23 Thread Benseraglio2

Yeah, yeah, yeah tell it to the Jesuits. God if I had a dollar for everybody who claims to have talked to God personally for 20 minutes I'd be a rich man. I remember once at the White House prayer breakfast we were finishing up the margaritas and grapefruit and George got this sneaky smirk on his face and whipped out the crack pipe and before I knew it everybody -- Falwell, Robertson, Franky Graham -- we were all down on our knees and George was praying in this high weird voice Lord we beseech thee, in thy mercy, send down thy holy hand grenade. Then he wanted to know if I could hear the voice of the Lord and wanted me to ask God if we should bomb Falluja again. Needless to say it was the last time I went to the White House prayer breakfast. Other thing that made me uncomfortable was that he kept calling me "Padre". Uh, George, I told him, you don't have to call me Father, I'm an Anabaptist.

Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org/stealth.html

In a message dated 2/23/2005 10:47:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Hey, the upside of that episode is that I met and spoke with God for about20 min. He's a cool dude, and he personally assured me that 'there would bebowling in West Philly within three years' which is why I stuck around. Healso says that he never meant for the Nuns to start wearing wedding bannson his account.--On February 23, 2005 10:13:19 AM -0500 Kyle Cassidy[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: you had given him experimental doses of crystal methamphetimines and he was shaking like a plate of jello on a buckboard wagon being driven across a frozen, furrowed field. normally,-andy di l l e r God Abides

Re: [UC] Looking for an Upcoming Event in Philadelphia

2005-02-22 Thread Benseraglio2




A bunch of us are going around to blow up Cassidy's house sometime next month. Don't know how newsworthy you consider that. Interesting angle is that we're going to use mortars sited in the vacant lot at 46th and Market. Sort of half target practice half community service event. If we can obtain severalF-16s from the National Guard armory we may do a little precision aerial bombardment and strafing. I'll let you know when we get a firm date.



Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/nikki.html
In a message dated 2/22/2005 6:41:37 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Hi there,I am working on a project with the Journalism Dept. that involves experimenting with mobile field reporting equipment. We have an opportunity to do something quite unique with mobile field reporting technology, and we are looking for an interesting, newsworthy event that is coming up in Philadelphia in the next 9 months or so to plan our experiment around. Does anyone on this list have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!sjSusan JacobsonAssistant ProfessorDept. of Broadcasting  TelecomTemple Universityhttp://countlessstories.com[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Re: [UC] Red Cross, restrictions on taking, but not on giving blood

2005-02-21 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/21/2005 7:20:49 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


In a message dated 2/21/2005 11:50:28 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I am also a disqualified, multi-gallon donor.While I have recovered from Hepatitis, I test positive for theantibodies.And since I can't give, I raise awareness.

Will Rosso still let you in his backyard tub with him?
Definitely not. The last time she came over she displaced all the water in the hot tub with a gigantic whoosh. It was a sort of Archimedes moment; some of the other dudes apparently had a sort of flashing instant of enlightenment or something, but I was the one who had to refill thedamn tub. Plus she gobbled down all the hashish brownies, as if she wasn't stoned enough already. Sheblabbed solong and so loudI couldn't hear my favorite Stinking Lizaveta record even though I had the stereo pumped up to full capacity. Then the next day I got all these threatening phone calls from the nuns. It apparently wasn't so much the noise they objected to as the sight of all that bare flesh. Isaid to Sister Bonanza, "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, just pull down thefriggin curtains if it disturbs you so much."



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/stealth.html

Re: [UC] FYI, West Philly = Sarajevo, According to the AP

2005-02-19 Thread Benseraglio2




I make my living off the evening newsJust give me something-something I can usePeople love it when you lose,They love dirty laundry

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up hereI just have to look good, I dont have to be clearCome and whisper in my earGive us dirty laundry

Kick em when theyre upKick em when theyre downKick em when theyre upKick em when theyre downKick em when theyre upKick em when theyre downKick em when theyre upKick em all around

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde whoComes on at fiveShe can tell you bout the plane crash with a gleamIn her eyeIts interesting when people die-Give us dirty laundry

Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet? You know, the boys in the newsroom got aRunning betGet the widow on the set!We need dirty laundry

You dont really need to find out whats going onYou dont really want to know just how far its goneJust leave well enough aloneEat your dirty laundry

Kick em when theyre upKick em when theyre downKick em when theyre upKick em when theyre down

Kick em when theyre upKick em when theyre downKick em when theyre stiffKick em all around

Dirty little secretsDirty little liesWe got our dirty little fingers in everybodys pieWe love to cut you down to sizeWe love dirty laundry

We can do the innuendoWe can dance and singWhen its said and done we havent told you a thingWe all know that crap is kingGive us dirty laundry!
--Don Henley

In a message dated 2/19/2005 8:02:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Several years ago, Action News did a piece on a chef who trained in Paris and then came back to Philly. He showed a variety of desserts, one of which was called "chocolate salami". The dessert was chocolate and pralines, cut like slices of salami.When the piece ended the males at the news desk were all snickering. Lisa Thomas Laurey looked around a little annoyed and said, "What? It looks delicious. I'd have some chocolate salami."The entire studio lost control laughing, Dave Roberts almost ruptured. They immediately went to a commercial.Philly news at it's best.:Pete

Re: [UC] Social life in UC

2005-02-18 Thread Benseraglio2

Excuse me very much, but this is TOTAL bullshit. God I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard this hackneyed sentiment conveyed on the Internet. Have you ever heard ofa little thing called LITERACY?? People have been conveying tones, facial expressions :), *stress*, whatever you like, on the WRITTEN PAGE for several friggin millennia now. If you wanna read email, learn the arts of electronic reading and writing.

Just stop and think about it a little bit. Communication is communication. If you want to hear tone of voice and see facial expressions buy a fucking videophone. Or watch TV or something. Email is a medium for highly literate people who enjoy reading.

Also, if what's produced on this list bothers you and the other old ladies so much, UNSUBSCRIBE. You can get all the news you want on UC-ANNOUNCE, and the kulchural stuff on CULTURE. I TRUST I AM NOT LEAVING A WHOLE LOT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION!

Steamed,

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

In a message dated 2/18/2005 2:25:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

e-communications problem... how true... you cannot hear the tone of voice.. read facial expressions.. have any way of knowing which word in a sentence is being stressed. One sentence could be interpreted many different ways depending on tone, inflection, stress.

Maybe in time, (or maybe it already has and I just don't know about it) an elanguage will evolve which will allow people to better express their meaning. Words on the page without voice leave much to interpretation.

marlene levy

[UC] Cat and Character Assassination

2005-02-15 Thread Benseraglio2




To my mind asserting on a public list that "the owner of the house at 46th and Springfield is a funny character" borders on character assassination. It's one thing when Cass observes that Diller keeps large volumes of automatic weapons in his basement, uses them frequently on neighbors, and beats his wife like a gong -- habitual or chronic readers of the list realize that Cass and Diller have this ongoing humorous running chitchat between them -- but to makeallegations about this anonymous "funny character" -- also, how many houses are there in the vicinity of 46th and Springfield? -- strikes even a hardened character like me as nasty and irresponsible and typical of the gossip at the University City Village Old Ladies Sewing Circle and Gentrification Committee. 

I has spoken. Shazaam!


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/hackseminar1.html


In a message dated 2/15/2005 11:42:35 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Something like this happened at 46th and Springfield a few years ago, I don't think anyone ever figured out who was responsible. The owner of the house at 46th and Springfield is a funny character, and was harboring and feeding many many strays. There are still some poking around there even to this day.-andy

Re: [UC] Temple, Hopkins: Penn as urban example

2005-02-15 Thread Benseraglio2




Dammit, Jellings, can't you just read the relevant articles and digest them for us? I mean, do you think I've got all day to spend tracking down salacious articles in these obscure online journals only to find that the urls have disappeared and if they haven't that the incompentent and often right-wing rags are totally incomprehensible? Don't titillate us, man -- do your job and exegete! Or what's an email list for?

Feeling a trifle cranky this morning,


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/hackseminar1.html

In a message dated 2/15/2005 11:01:36 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
[Baltimore is fast becoming the murder capitol of the US.]Temple in Philadelphia:Gentrification leads to safety and renewalhttp://www.temple-news.com/global_user_elements/printpage.cfm?storyid=864615Hopkins in Baltimore:Looking for lessons at Pennhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.md.penn14feb14,1,2409734.story?coll=bal-home-headlinesctrack=2cset=trueHopkins plagued by Baltimore crimehttp://washingtontimes.com/metro/20050206-102338-6399r.htm(This is the same article as above but with the focus on 'urban' as opposed to Baltimore):Hopkins plagued by urban crimehttp://washingtontimes.com/metro/20050201-110412-9253r.htm$2 million pledged for securityhttp://www.jhunewsletter.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/02/04/42024fbea6d64VIOLENCE jolts John Hopkins' studentshttp://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/10823334.htmCRIME Becoming Problem at John Hopkinshttp://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/10785694.htmSECOND Hopkins murder in a year underscores city's crime problemhttp://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/politics/10779806.htmAll of the above articles mention and/or discuss West Philadelphia.-- Thanks,John Ellingsworth2005-02-15

[UC] Sig Bloat

2005-02-14 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/13/2005 5:55:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
T.T.F.N.William H. Magill# Beige G3 [Rev A motherboard - 300 MHz 768 Meg] OS X 10.2.8# Flat-panel iMac (2.1) [800MHz - Super Drive - 768 Meg] OS X 10.3.7# PWS433a [Alpha 21164 Rev 7.2 (EV56)- 64 Meg] Tru64 5.1a# XP1000 [Alpha 21264-3 (EV6) - 256 meg] FreeBSD 5.3# XP1000 [Alpha 21264-A (EV 6.7) - 384 meg] FreeBSD 5.3[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yesterday Miggle's sig suddenly inflated from his usual polite T.T.F.N., William H. Magill to this monstrous bloated enormity. 

Can anyone decipher this? Is Miggle OK or has he been taken over by space aliens from Venus or beyond?? Is he broadcasting secret messages to the Bulgarian Intelligence Forces?

I'm alarmed. 



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/hackseminar1.html

Re: [ALERT} Re: [UC] to let you know

2005-02-13 Thread Benseraglio2

Thisgoofy white kid answering the below description showed up at my door this afternoon, only this time he was carrying a red-tipped cane, claimed to be blind, and was selling subscriptions to the New Yorker magazine. I immediately sensed that something was wrong with this picture -- I mean, if he had been selling subscriptions to Cosmo or Better Homes and Gardens it might have seemed slightly more realistic, but the effete, ineffably refined NEW YORKER magazine? Well I mean to say.

Suspecting that the kid wasn't really blind, I said "OK, yeah, sign me up", then I tossed a dinner plate at his head. Sure enough he put up his hands with lightning speed and caught it just before it smashed into his medulla oblongata.

"Well hello bright eyes!" I said, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

He took off his dark glasses and broke down in tears, bawling that his father didn't love him and that he had just got off of the psych unit at HUP, where he had been eating mashed bananas with a plastic spoon for three weeks after freaking out on meth while preparing for his midterms at Penn. At that point something struck me very weird, and I remembered that this was just a rerun from the second season of "Hack."

Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org/hackseminar1.html

In a message dated 2/13/2005 8:56:39 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
He also just showed up (10 minutes ago) at 1000 block of S. 47th, saying he had moved into 1012 S 47th just recently. I know the people who live at 1012, and he ain't one of them. Same description, same story, needed cash to get to New Jersey.Al Airone1008 S 47- Original Message - From: "Andrew Diller" [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: "UC Purple List" UnivCity@list.purple.comSent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 8:16 PMSubject: Re: [UC] to let you know Yeah, that was the one that hit farragut a week or so ago. He must be deranged to keep this up in the neighborhood. Perhaps I'll see him again one dark and cloudy night. -andy On Feb 13, 2005, at 7:46 PM, Jo Ann Fishburn wrote: A young white man with a knit cap just came to my door saying he lives two doors down and has locked his keys in his car, his roommate is away, and so are the neighbors he has met. I didn't listen to the rest. I believe someone else on the list warned us about this con. Jo Ann

Re: [UC] A little consistency, please... or, maybe, an explanation

2005-02-10 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/10/2005 8:41:14 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Today's DP included a story about a Penn Board of Trustees meeting from which the following is excerpted:

The trustees will also discuss the conversion of a University-owned office building at 42nd and Pine streets into condominiums. Construction for the project -- which will be aimed at accommodating small families -- will begin in the spring.
I assumethey're referring to the sprawlingbuilding on the northwest corner.
Funny, I thought they were referring to the sprawling building on the SOUTHwest corner, aka The Bazukufu Consulate:

http://rossbender.org/bazukufu.html




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/stealth.html

Re: [UC] A little consistency, please... or, maybe, an explanation

2005-02-10 Thread Benseraglio2




My bad, the building at the southwest corner of *40th and Pine* is the Bazukufu Consulate. The Cuban Consulate is of course "la finca de tabaco".

http://rossbender.org/cubanconsulate.html.


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html


In a message dated 2/10/2005 11:09:10 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Actually, the property I referred to in my email is the one you referred to as the French Consulate.

Pictures can be found at: http://rossbender.org/fronchconsulate.html

Matt Wolfe

-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 10:27 AMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; UnivCity@list.purple.comSubject: Re: [UC] A little consistency, please... or, maybe, an explanation

In a message dated 2/10/2005 8:41:14 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Today's DP included a story about a Penn Board of Trustees meeting from which the following is excerpted:

The trustees will also discuss the conversion of a University-owned office building at 42nd and Pine streets into condominiums. Construction for the project -- which will be aimed at accommodating small families -- will begin in the spring.
I assumethey're referring to the sprawlingbuilding on the northwest corner.
Funny, I thought they were referring to the sprawling building on the SOUTHwest corner, aka The Bazukufu Consulate:

http://rossbender.org/bazukufu.html




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/stealth.html




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

[UC] AGE ON THE LIST -- FINAL

2005-02-08 Thread Benseraglio2



AGE -- NUM=60 AVG=43.4

YEARS IN W PHILLY -- NUM=56 AVG=19.7


FWIW these are the final tallies of ages and years in W. Philly for those who have sent me their data. Note however that of the frequent TOP TEN, I have yet to hear from:

CRAIGSOLVE
KRFAPT
LASERBEAM
BASHOWELL

Until I hear from the above, my working hypothesis is still that the noisiest members of the list are also the oldest. As of today there are 301 subscribers to the UC List. For cumulative stats, and for a complete list of results see:

http://rossbender.org/ucstats.html



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/stealth.html

Re: [UC] Good intentions are not enough; it takes money, too

2005-02-08 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/8/2005 10:55:09 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

The problems that plague historic house museums are real, but we should not confuse those issues with the historic districting debate going on in our neighborhood. House museums need endowments and ticket sales to pay for staff, maintenance, and improvements. If no one visits a house museum, it's a valid question to ask, "Should the museum continue to operate?"
Interestingly or not, this is the situation which provides the background for the novel "The Murder Room" by P.D. James. The question of whether the museum should continue to operate is the crux. Of course in the novel one of the trustees, a psychiatrist, who is trying to block the continued operation of the museum, is murdered, burned to death in his fire-engine-red Jaguar in a truly horrific fashion. Not that I'm suggesting this as any sort of a remedy for the truly stultifying ongoing hysterical designation debate or anything . . 





Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/hd.html

[UC] STEALTH MENNONITES now online

2005-02-07 Thread Benseraglio2



"Stealth Mennonites" is now online at:

http://rosslynnbender.org/gentryhood.html




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

[UC] CORRECTION -- Stealth Mennonites now online

2005-02-07 Thread Benseraglio2



Correction:

"Stealth Mennonites" is now online at:

http://rossbender.org/gentryhood.html





Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Parking Rage: Bloody Hell!!!

2005-02-04 Thread Benseraglio2

In a message dated 2/4/2005 9:37:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
What is the matter with people?
Excellent question. The other night I was coming home from a long night of boozing, despite which my senses were keenly alert, fine-tuned to an A-sharp, sharp as a razor, likely due to the large quantities of methamphetamine which I had been imbibing along with my Old Overholt 40s down at the Conrad Grebel Bar and Grille. I maneuvered my Volva Sedan down 48th Street like the Millennium Falcon through the guts of the Death Star, neatly avoiding the pitbulls and Great Danes doing their business in the snowbanks. Arriving at my accustomed parking place I gently descended from hyperspace into a low hover when I perceived that some irksome neighborhood hooligan had staked out my personal space with several garbage cans, a vintage clawfoot bathtub, and what appeared to be an ancient Macintosh computer.

Needless to say I was enraged. I had spent the previous weekend shovelling out my personal space after the worst blizzard of the season and my back was still aching from the effort. What to do?

I considered dialing 911 on my cellular phone, or perhaps theFriends of Clark Park,or even my good friend Shaka Zulu the mayor. But I quickly reconsidered. From previous experience I knew the police would take severalmonths to respond, the FOCP was locked in an interminable battle over the issue of constructing a gigantic private bathhouse in the Park, and the Mayor, an Adventist, was likely preparing his Sunday School lesson for the following day of worship.

Against my better judgement, I whipped out my trusty Bulgarian Shipka 88 submachine gun and blasted away until the loathsome debris was pulverized to smithereens and my personal parking space was clear. I was performing the elegant horizontal parallel parking maneuver known in some circles as the Bavarian Cakewalk, in others as the Viennese Oyster, when suddenly an elderly woman of a certain age hove into view driving a fire-engine-red '87 Camarro with Jersey tags and darted lickedy split into my space.

"Hell's bells, lady!" I ejaculated, but she merely looked at me smugly, got out of her vehicle, locked the door and began to totter down the street.

"Yo old woman!" I shouted after her, in a fine frenzy. "Have you taken leave of your senses? Are you not aware that I have spent several years cultivating this parking space with finely manicured bonsai trees at the curbside, fine herbs in the summer, which I take great pains to water and prune, and that I have just finished excavating it from the great blizzard? Bloody hell, woman, and forsooth! Shall I not blow you away from the face of the earth with my trusty Bulgarian Shipka???"

Unfazed the elderly damozel pointed to a sign on the dashboard of her car. Emblazoned in large purple letters was the word "Clergy."

"I'm on a mission from God," she said in a calm and dignified voice. "I have prepared a bomb which will blow the Presbyterians to kingdom come, and I am now on my way to plant it smackdab in the midst of the presbytery before the vicar comes by to dust down the church in preparation forthis weekend'sworship."

"Oh well, then by all means proceed," I said, mollified, for I knew that the foul plague of Calvinism which had spread its stench over the neighborhood was becoming too hot to handle. "Prithee, may I assist you in any way?"

"I'll be quite alright, young man," she said. "And judging from your boozy breath and general air of dishevelment, what you need now is a nice cup of hot chocolate and then to bed."

She's probably right, I reflected. I plopped the Volva down on the nearest available snowbank and headed for bed, suddenly exhausted by the events of the evening and an outsurge of adrenalin which left me weak, craving and wanting to holler for mama.

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

[UC] The Genesis of the UC Culture List

2005-02-03 Thread Benseraglio2

Now that membership on the UC Culture List is pushing 100, it may behoove us to revisit the origins of that staid and genial discussion and announcement group of the utmost refinement.

The Culture List was begotten in the throes of an unseemly foodfight concerning pesto on the main UC List in August of 2003. To read up on it, just search for "pesto" in the UC List archives at www.purple.com/list.html. Back in the day, denizens of the UC List were noteven remotelyas elegant and raffine as we are today. In fact, it embarrasses me to read some of the stuff we wrote back then.

Be that as it may, our humble Jeff stepped in and voila hey presto a new list was conceived and dedicated to the proposition that there actually was a modicum of culture in this hip and trendy hood and that it was worth writing about, in a delicate and seemly fashion. If you read over the archives, you'll find poetry, movie and music reviews, and thoughtful reflections on culinary matters.

Here is the first archived message from the Culture List, dated 8/14/2003:

Re: [Culture] PESTO recipe revised
Jeff AbrahamsonThu, 14 Aug 2003 12:10:29 -0700
On Sun, Aug 10, 2003 at 09:58:21PM -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
[21 lines, 111 words, 714 characters] Top characters: etnorais

In a message dated 8/10/03 12:59:24 PM Central Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

jeff: any way to include a link to the archive of the
culture list on http://www.purple.com/list.html ?

Don't interrupt jeff while he's thinking, you ill-mannered lout. The culture
archives are only available to the tasteful few, who know an extremely slow
and distinctive read when they see one.

Also, please change the subject line of your posts to reveal the true
meaning. And sign your posts, dammit, you ungracious rube. Where were you born, in a
barn in upstate Pennsylvania, you blinging hayseed? Don't make me come over
there!

Fwiw, guys, I'm now unsubscribed from culture. I stayed on just long
enough to get the subject line right, which I accidentally got
distracted from doing promptly.

I have added culture to the various archives and added a search link
on list.html.

Please avoid cross-posting to univcity. The purpose of this list was
to give you guys a place to wax eloquent, be verbose, pretend email =
IM, and so forth, as you felt (correctly, imho) that this wasn't fully
welcome at the volume level you wanted on univcity. If someone does
cross-post, please have the courtesy to remove the cross-posting from
your reply so that a single mistake doesn't spawn a long thread on
univcity.

Thanks!

--
Jeff

Jeff Abrahamson http://www.purple.com/jeff/

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

[UC] Reporting -- AGE ON THE LIST

2005-02-02 Thread Benseraglio2



Late returns continue to trickle in. Below are the current numbers. "Years in West Philly" includes Powelton. Note that not everyone who reported age gave number of years in the Hood. Also, I have yet to hear from THREE of the heavy hitters in the current TOP TEN. (Ahem.) This likely skews the average age significantly.

AGE262727282828293030333434373838394041414345454546494950505151525353545456575758595960646775

51NUM44AVGYEARS IN W PHILLY111.51.52.52.544..56788891012.51418191919.52020202325272830303233.533.5353537414346.55056

48NUM20AVG





Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Kerry/Edwards Campaign Posters - chosen ideals

2005-02-02 Thread Benseraglio2




That's it! Dr. Bronner's! That's exactly what Craigsolve's turgid prose has reminded me of all along although I never quite consciously made the connection.

Also, the immortal line from the Fug's "Skin Frenzy", or was it "Group Grope"?:

"We say yes tonight long teenaged legs wrapped around the body!"


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

In a message dated 2/2/2005 9:32:17 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I have no idea what this is a reference to. It sounds like the Dr. Bronner's soap bottle.All one, Dilute! Dilute!:PeteOn Feb 1, 2005, at 3:25 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: We said yes to liberty freedom democracy and tothe rights of the  enslaved to form their own republics. And, we will do it one nation at  a time.

[UC] UNIVCITY LIST JAN 2005 STATS

2005-02-01 Thread Benseraglio2










MESSAGE VOLUME





1-Jan
12

2-Jan
30

3-Jan
24

4-Jan
15

5-Jan
22

6-Jan
22

7-Jan
7

8-Jan
7

9-Jan
4

10-Jan
18

11-Jan
17

12-Jan
9

13-Jan
49

14-Jan
16

15-Jan
4

16-Jan
0

17-Jan
10

18-Jan
30

19-Jan
8

20-Jan
23

21-Jan
16

22-Jan
4

23-Jan
14

24-Jan
42

25-Jan
24

26-Jan
12

27-Jan
41

28-Jan
33

29-Jan
8

30-Jan
19

31-Jan
52

TOTAL
592







TOP TWENTY POSTERS





CASSIDY
40

MAGILL
31

LASERBEAM
30

BGANDERSON
29

CRAIGSOLVE
26

CASS
25

KRULL
24

BASHOWELL
23

KRFAPT
21

ELLINGSWORTH
20

DE SOTO, WILMA
19

BENSERAGLIO2/BENDER
19

JACOBSON
17

DILLER
17

SIANO
16

DUBIN
14

CAMPION
12

BUCHHOLTZ
11

NAOMI
10

FISHER
9




TOP TEN TOPICS





CRIME
51

DOGS
47

AGE ON THE LIST
41

UCHS AND CIVIC CENTER DEMOLITION
27

IRON SECURITY BARS
23

PARKING
22

SCAMMER OR CASING ALERT
13

TIME TO WITHDRAW THE TROOPS
13

BATHHOUSE
12

SLEDDING
11



SUBSCRIBERS AT END OF JANUARY 2005

UNIVCITY LIST 290
CULTURE 94
UCANNOUNCE 43


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

[UC] Reporting -- AGE ON THE LIST

2005-02-01 Thread Benseraglio2








26
75

27
67

27
64

28
60

28
59

28
58

29
57

30
56

30
54

33
54

33
53

33
53

33
52

33
51

34
50

34
50

37
49

38
46

38
45

39
45

40
45

41
44

43
44

44
43

44
41

45
40

45
39

45
38

46
38

49
37

50
34

50
34

51
33

52
33

53
33

53
33

54
33

54
30

56
30

57
29

58
28

59
28

60
28

64
27

67
27

75
26

46 people have reported their ages. Average age at this point is 43. I will tally the years in West Philly separately. Survey is still open. Several of the heavy hitters on the Top Ten list have yet to check in.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Reporting -- AGE ON THE LIST

2005-02-01 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 2/1/2005 1:08:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


In a message dated 2/1/2005 12:20:40 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Average age at this point is 43.

So far, this doesn't look very scientific. There has been no peer review of your collection methodology. There has been now allowance for sex, etc. yadda yadda yadda;I never felt this type of comment was ever appropriate, until reviewing your current submission. 

Better than a thousand useless words is one word that gives peace.-Buddha

Peace be with you.

Craig
And peace with you, you noisy old so-and-so. It would be considerably more scientific if I had the ages of all the gassy old codgers who dominate the Top Ten list.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/30/2005 11:36:54 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Shouldn't this thread be in culture? Bah.UC-ness for 9 years (philly for phifteen), don't think my age should matter online.Dan W.
Yeah, and like the old saying goes, "On the Internet, nobody knows (or cares) if you're a dog." But this isn't the Internet, it's the good ole UC List.Also I do believe it behooves you, as one of the relatively noisy posters on this list, to participate in a SCIENTIFIC SURVEY. Particularly since the only place I've met you was at that super-scientific Institute for the Research into Cognitive Everything. I'd guess you're about a33 but it'sonly a guess.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/31/2005 9:18:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
laserbeam in philly: 33 yrs age: 29
Come off it, moonbeam, this is a serious SCIENTIFIC STUDY. What's interesting to me is that I've gotten lots of responses from folks who post less frequently and none from the noisy old farts like you who incessantly clutter the list with their doddery, senescent, feeble, wandering, wordy, extraordinarily tiresome diatribes.

I refer to the habitual Noisy Nine, the perpetual Top Ten of tne UC List. You know who you are. In case you need a reminder, the January Stats are coming out tomorrow. But just to jog your memories, I refer more specifically to:

Craigsolve, Miggle, Krigman, Cass, etc.

Yours truly has admitted to being a prematurely senile 53. Come on the rest of you old coots, flip it out and show us what you've got.

My working hypothesis is that the space on this list is dominated by a topheavy cabal of ancient drudges, who like the ancient mariner fix us with a glassy eye and by their nattering blather warn away the younger folks who might actually turn this into a more interesting place to be.

Seething with indignation, hands on hips,



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




If you are not immediately forthcoming with your true age, I shall have to CENSURE you. Also, use the Cheney word. Don't make me come over there.


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html


In a message dated 1/31/2005 9:49:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:   laserbeamin philly: 33 yrsage: 29  Come off it, moonbeam, this is a serious SCIENTIFIC STUDY.I'm totally not pulling your leg. I distinctly remember celebrating my 29th birthday. several times, in fact..laserbeam®[aka ray]coming down the homestretch for january's stats

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/31/2005 10:01:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Age: 39, but kissing 4 (May 7th for those planning to send gifts).
Years in UC: 1985-1992; 2002 to the present.
invitations presumably forthcoming?



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/wisdom.html

Re: [UC] Parking possessiveness




In a message dated 1/31/2005 10:05:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

If you see debris in a spot, post it's location of the spot and diller will clean it up with his 4x4. I now call him every time someone thinks they've found a "spot" in my driveway. Or I guess you could just print out the city ordinance about blocking a parking spot (someone had posted it here before) and glue it to the trash cans, road cones, or chairs or whatever they're using.
How old did you say you were?



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/31/2005 10:18:24 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: If you are not immediately forthcoming with your true age, I shall have  to CENSURE you. Also, use the Cheney word. Don't make me come over there.   Ross Bender http://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.htmlbut ross, you've already met me in person. you even asked to see my driver's license..laserbeam®[aka ray](definitely ESTP, btw.)
Was that the time you were trying to get me to ply you with White Russians at the bowling parlour? I'm so old my hippocampus sometimes plays tricks on me.

Anyhow, Mr. Beamer, time to put up or shut up. Qu'elle age avez vous tout-suite maintenant SVP??





Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Parking possessiveness




In a message dated 1/31/2005 10:55:24 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
In cat years?On Jan 31, 2005, at 10:07 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How old did you say you were?  
Clock's a-tickin', big guy.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/31/2005 11:23:51 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
It's amazing how many people pop out of the woodwork when you ask personalquestions, in the name of science or some other bland purpose, especially.OK, not so amazing to those who study human behaviour, but I don't, so it'sstill amazing to me.SO, to spice up Ross's database:What's your favorite color? (you may use RGB or CMYK codes if you wish)What's your pet peeve? (those who've been posting endlessly about theirs  already need not answer this one)What's your social security number, bank account number, bank routing number  (you can find that at the left end of your personal checks if you  own any), current balance, and ATM card P.I.N.?What is your quest?Dan W.-- -- Daniel Widyono   www.widyono.net   www.cis.upenn.edu/~widyono --
I seek the Holy Grail.

Now just answer the question.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/dingirs.html

Re: [UC] RE: Parking rage [feel the love]




Beautiful! Let me compliment you on your gracious and nonviolent response to the drunken brute who had the infernal rind to block up your driveway. Personally, in your situation, andpossessing the large volume of artillery which you are known to keep in your living room, I would have simply blown them away, both them and their stupid automobile.

To all those suffering from winter parking rage, let me reiterate gloatingly, as I so often have, seemingly without effect, that infernal combustion engines are the work of the devil. My standard and truly callous advice is to "get a horse".

Also, let me recommend, if you have not already read it, Calvin Trillin's brilliant little gem about parking in the Big Apple titled "Tepper Isn't Going Out".


Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

In a message dated 1/30/2005 10:07:53 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

about two years ago, i left my house early one morning to pick up my mother at the airport and found that there was a car surgically parked between two others blocking my car into my driveway. my first thought was to smash their windshield with a hammer, but then i marveled at the parking job -- you couldn't have fit a pizza box between the front or back bumper of that car and the cars parked on either side of my driveway. "wow!" i thought, "that's the best parking job i've ever seen." it tempered my thoughts and i wrote them a nice note explaining my frustration at having to take a taxi to pick up my mother, but complimenting them on the most precise job of paralell parking i'd ever seen.
when i got home from the airport about two hours later, the offending car was gone and there was a pabst blue ribbon beer sitting on the hood of my car with a blue bow and a note which said (something to the effect of): 
Dear Sir, I was horrified to discover that I had blocked your driveway. I never would have done it intentionally, but I was very drunk when I parked the car.

[UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey



Have you ever wondered how old the people on this list are? Having only met a few, my guess is that the mean age is fairly high, possibly 45 - 50. In the spirit of scientific research, how about if everybody sends a message to the list listing their true age and perhaps number of years resident in Philadelphia (or elsewhere, if from elsewhere, eg Narberth.)

I'd be happy to tally the results and post them on the UC Stats page.
http://rossbender.org/ucstats.html

Of course I'll go first.

True age -- 53.

Years in West Philly -- 19 1/2

Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/30/2005 2:34:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

If you're doing research for a dissertation, how about appending an easy to understand EULA so the trusting know what you are going to do with the DB?
As I said, I'm going to post the results (with names removed)to the UC Stats page with all the other useless and pointless information. Folks can feel free to do what they please with the numbers. At this point it's hard for me to imagine a nefarious use for this info.

Come on, Craig. How about it? Using my Cantankerosity Index, I suspect you are a crotchety old 77.

Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org

Re: [UC] Age on the UC List -- A Demographic Survey




In a message dated 1/30/2005 9:49:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Scrunch the Cat3 (maybe 4)Years in UC - 3 (maybe 4)
PLEASE no pets, unless you can document that your wonder cat is capable of typing (coherent) email . . .

[UC] Re: Parking rage

2005-01-29 Thread Benseraglio2

I hear Narberth is nice this time of year.

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

In a message dated 1/29/2005 3:50:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
With the influx of new entrants into the neighborhood it appears I now have as neighbors people, who have different expectations of what being a neighbor means. One of my neighbor tried to run me over last Wednesday evening! This was due to road rage - or rather "parking rage". As you all know, after heavy snow, like we had last weekend, parking gets very tight and for some reason people think that if they dig their car out of a spot then they own the spot. On Sunday we dug out two spots, our car and one where our weekend visitors had parked, we also helped out a neighbor. When we got back home after work on Monday. All the parkable spots on the street that had been shovelled (including "ours") had been taken so Milt dug the snow out of another spot so that we could park. When we got back to our house on Wednesday there were several parking spots available but folks had put trash cans and other objects in them to save them. There was a long stretch very near our house and the spots we had dug out (now occupied by others) that could accommodate about 3 cars. I got out to move the trash can in the spot nearest our house. As I was doing this a guy pulled up in a car and started screaming at me that it was his spot. I denied this and continued moving the trash can. He reversed sharply into the spot knocking over all the other cans, aimed his car at me and accelerated towards me forcing me to jump into the snow bank to avoid being hit. Milt pulled in behind him and got out of the car to ask him why he had tried to run over his wife! He shouted some invective and took off down the street disappearing into a house several removed from ours - and from the parking spot! I was really shaken and upset and we decided to call 911. The police officers who came were very sympathetic and went to his house to tell him that it is illegal to block the street because the city owns the street and it is also illegal to use your car to intimidate your neighbors. They came back and said that he had admitted being in the wrong and we would not have any more problems with him. We declined to press charges.We have not received an apology.What is sad is that for the first time ever, Milt and I seriously discussed moving out of the neighborhood. This is after 17 years and surviving the crack-cocaine epidemic, having our house burgled, our car broken into several times and being robbed in front of our house. Despite all of this Milt and I always felt that our neighborhood had a sense of community and well-being towards one another that was lacking elsewhere. However, the neighborhood has changed - most think for the better. Sure our property values have increased with the influx of new owners but it seems to have lost the sense of community I so valued and that kept me dedicated to living here. I had hoped when the neighborhood became fashionable that the kind of people who wanted to move here would share my general values and ideas about what is acceptable conduct. There has been a lot of discussion on this list serve recently about street crime. Well, this has been a reality of life in our neighborhood for many years but somehow I always managed to take it in my stride. I know that I have never felt more unsafe than when this "new neighbor" attacked me because he was so angry and out of control. I am still hoping that this incident is the exception and that we have some positive experiences with new neighbors that off-set this extremely negative one.Sadly,yvonne-- Yvonne Paterson, Ph.D.Professor of MicrobiologyUniversity of Pennsylvania323 Johnson Pavilion36th St. and Hamilton WalkPhiladelphia, PA 19104-6076Tel. (215) 898-3461FAX: (215) 573-4666http://www.med.upenn.edu/immun/Faculty/paterson.htmlhttp://www.med.upenn.edu/micro/faculty/paterson.html

Re: [UC] The Gigantic Private Bathhouse Campaign

2005-01-28 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 1/28/2005 10:22:39 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Everyone should be famous for something. If Ross is willing to sign over his estate when he dies, I suggest, "Ross Bender Memorial Bathhouse." 
"Estate". heh.



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

[UC] The Murder Room -- was Iron Security Bars

2005-01-18 Thread Benseraglio2

Mrs. Faraday`s house was the eighth in a mid-nineteenth-century terrace on the 
south side of an Islington square. The houses, no doubt built originally for 
the superior working class, must have gone through the ususal 
transmogrification of rising rents, neglect, war damage and multi-occupancy, 
but had long been taken over by those of the middle class who valued proximity 
to  the City, the nearness of good restaurants, and the Almeida Theatre, and 
the satisfaction of proclaiming  that they lived in an interesting, socially 
and ethnically diverse community. From the number of window grilles and burglar 
alarm systems, it was apparent that the occupants had protected themselves 
against any unwelcome manifestation of this rich divesity.

--The Murder Room, by P.D.James

-- 
Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org


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[UC] So who exactly elected this bum?

2004-12-20 Thread Benseraglio2



A month after his election, only 48% of the American people approve of the way George Bush is handling his job. And 49% disapprove.

From the Washington Post/ABC poll the mystifying results:


2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling (ITEM)? 
12/19/04 - Summary Table ApproveDisapproveNo opiniona. The economy46513b. The situation in Iraq42571c. The US campaign against terrorism53433d. Social Security38529e. Health care37567  US OUT OF IRAQ NOW! NO BLOOD FOR OIL! GIVE BUSH THE BUM'S RUSH!
Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org/blogger.html

Re: [UC] Turn Your Back on Bush

2004-12-16 Thread Benseraglio2

What you overlook, Miggle, is that we're not simply talking about "turning our backs". That's polite code language. What we're actually talking about is turning our backs, dropping trou, and *mooning* the guy. If that's not a universally understood symbol, I don't know what is.

Ross Bender
http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

In a message dated 12/16/2004 1:00:39 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
On 15 Dec, 2004, at 14:14, Mario Giorno wrote: If we turn our backs on the president, we should all be aware that it's classically considered to be the ultimate symbolic gesture of no-confidence. It means we, in spirit if not in any physical sense, shun the man himself and cast him out. I can see why this would be a useful gesture to give toward the president and his policies; it's non-violent, it's universally understood,The simple fact that you feel a need to explain your proposed actions clearly illustrates that the concept is neither universally understood nor a classic symbol of no-confidence.The organizers may wish this to be so, but it is simply not true.In fact, I would counter that the vast majority of the population would consider turning one's back on someone to be nothing more than disrespectful, and a reflection on the upbringing and education of those so doing. We see this kind of behavior daily in the Philadelphia schools, and in almost any "pre-teen" "clique" movie ... where Hollywood uses the technique to underscore how immature the participants are.Media coverage of the event will spend 99% of the "piece" explaining WHY these people were doing what they were doing -- because nobody in the Media will believe that their audience will have any idea what it is that the protesters are doing or trying to accomplish. In fact, the Media will have to interview the protest organizers so that THEY can explain what it is they are doing because the Media folks won't have a clue what it is they are doing. ... except for what the protest organizers will have explained to the assignment editors in their press releases to get the Media to cover them in the first place.T.T.F.N.William H. Magill[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED]

Re: [UC] FOCP board meeting -- dog committee recommendations to be discussed

2004-12-11 Thread Benseraglio2



In a message dated 12/10/2004 10:57:17 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Your use of terms like "criminal" to disparage off-leash dog walkers is more than insulting -- it's mistaken. Such infractions of regulations do notlead tocriminal charges. Today I drove home from work on I-95, and I can assure you that 100% of my fellow drivers exceeded 55 mph. That didn't make them criminals and they shouldn't lose their voting rights or their rights tohelpplanthe city they pay taxesto and live in.Most people violate some regs at some point in their lives.
Wrongo! That DOES make them criminals and they should be thrown in jail, their poisonous vehicles impounded, heavily fined, and the money used tofund SEPTA. 

Surely you realize that "selective enforcement" is the name of the game. For example, "everybody" rides bicycles on the sidewalk, but when the Penn Pigs decide to get tough, they bust eminent frail old professors, to make a point. In a broader example, draconian drug laws are selectively used to send Negro teenagers to jail for life, while George Bush careens drunkenly to the White House. 

Mr. West, I am SHOCKED at your logic and your wanton defense of blatantly criminal actions. Just because "everybody does it" is no excuse. A little selective enforcement of the dog leash laws would do wonders to improve Clark Park.

Asone example: I notice from your constant public vulgarity that you spend a lot of time thinking about dog feces, in the park at least. You're not alone in raising that point, however. SoI thought thematter worth studying. On Nov. 27 I did a systematic field survey of the north end of the Bowl, where most off-leash dog walking takes place. Inthat area of ca. 2000 sq.yd., I found 4 fecal deposits. I then did a comparable survey of an equivalentsquare footageof *non-park public space* -- the tree lawns and front yards of the 4300-4400 blocks of Larchwood Ave., and the 300-400 blocks of S. 44th St. Here I found 21 fecal deposits! So it is not true that Clark Park is unusually fouled by animal waste; in fact, the oppositemay be true. 
Impressive! Did you get photographic evidence? Were your results statistically significant? What a picture! The Fecal Matter Inspector in his deerstalker pacing the sidewalk! Most excellent, Dude!



http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

[UC] Let the brothels of Paris be opened ...

2004-12-08 Thread Benseraglio2





In a message dated 12/7/2004 8:42:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
The 
  French is _Qu'ils mangent de la brioche_ (not _gateau_ asone might 
  expect). And Queen Marie-Antoinette did *not* say this.(When famine 
  struck Paris, she actually took an active role inrelieving it.) 
  Jean-Jacques Rousseau attributed the words to "a greatprincess" in book 6 
  of his _Confessions_. _Confessions_ was publishedposthumously, but 
  book 6 was written 2 or 3 years beforeMarie-Antoinette arrived in France 
  in 1770.

Ah, mais ouis, Marie-Antoinette was such a good, 
loving, humblequeen. Kinda reminds me of Judy Rodin back in the day. Rumor 
has it that she spent most of her 800,000 francs annual salary on charity, 
reserving for herself only such trifling luxuries as nail polish, lipsticks and 
the occasional trip to Aix for breast augmentations.

"Let the brothels of Paris be 
opened
With many an alluring dance
To wake pestilence through the 
city
cried the beautiful queen of 
France."
 


http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

[UC] Free Firewood

2004-12-04 Thread Benseraglio2




In fact a whole damn tree. Help yourself. Bring 
your own chain saw. But hurry! I've been trapped upstairs for three days now 
with nothing but beans to eat, and I'm running out of those. 48th Street between 
Cedar and Baltimore. 


Ross 
Benderhttp://rossbender.org

Re: [UC] dog trainer

2004-12-04 Thread Benseraglio2





In a message dated 12/4/2004 6:51:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I 
  realize that many people think the off-leash dog problem isn't really a 
  problem or that it will resolve itself. It is ILLEGAL, it is a problem, 
  and this "non-problem" is now costing me time and 
money.

There is a sort of WANTED poster now available 
at:

http://www.purple.com/dogs/

It depicts dozens of wanton dog owners with 
their OFF-LEASH dogs in the bowl in Clark Park. All the evidence the police need 
to put away these evil-doers and their doggies for life (or whatever the current 
punishment is that fits this heinous crime -- IMHO flogging is too good for 'em) 
is depicted on this sordid web-page.What are the cops waiting 
for???



http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

Re: [UC] car chase police radio

2004-12-03 Thread Benseraglio2





In a message dated 12/3/2004 11:22:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I 
  thought they didn't do car chases much anymore. I guess they still do in 
  Philly. It seems a bit odd that it takes 10+ police cars, a tow truck, 
  and a patty (sp?) wagon to chase down one stolen car through city streets 
  which are basically one car wide. With all that excitement I was sure a 
  Little Paris had shot someone or something.

That's "paddy wagon." So-named at a time when all the cops were Irish, and 
"of the element."

"Up the Irish,
down the Feds,
say we sad Irish,
anarchists and Reds" 


http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

[UC] UNIVCITY NOVEMBER 2004 STATS -- OTHER POSTERS






  
  
  
  
  
CLINTON
12
  
BGANDERSEN
12
  
MYERS
9
  
CLARKE
9
  
SHAERA
8
  
NAOMI
8
  
WIDYONO
7
  
SNYDER
6
  
POLITZER
6
  
PMUYEHARA
6
  
HARVEY
6
  
CHRISTMAN
6
  
CAMPION
6
  
MOORE
6
  
NICOLARY, SAM
6
  
RENZI
5
  
HEATHERANDCHRIS
5
  
FLAUMENHAFT
5
  
AXLER
5
  
NICOLARY, SHARON
5
  
WOLFE, J MATTHEW
4
  
VINCENT/ROGER
4
  
VILLAVILLEKULA
4
  
ST MARY'S
4
  
BASHOWELL
4
  
MICHAEL
4
  
WESLAB
3
  
SCHECKTER
3
  
SADIE728
3
  
MOREAU
3
  
METRAUX
3
  
HERONS
3
  
HEENAN
3
  
GROSSMAN
3
  
DUGAN
3
  
DEFENDORF
3
  
DAVEAXLER
3
  
ALI
3
  
ABRAHAMSON
3
  
STERN
2
  
SIANO
2
  
SALMON
2
  
MOSETTER
2
  
MINNIS
2
  
GREEN
2
  
MCKEE
2
  
MAYER
2
  
LEDGER
2
  
LAPP, T
2
  
HBW
2
  
HARRISON
2
  
FLUFFY
2
  
FIORILLO
2
  
CARDONA
2
  
BRUCEWMCC
2
  
BRONSWOLFE
2
  
BRACKEN
2
  
BEN
2
  
JASTRZAB
1
  
WJASTRZAB
1
  
WEBER
1
  
TATEMCH
1
  
OSTERMANN
1
  
OLAYA
1
  
NAOMIRIE
1
  
NACHMIAS
1
  
MCDOWELL
1
  
MARUCA
1
  
JASTRZAB
1
  
HERRMANN
1
  
FORD
1
  
EUSTIS525
1
  
EMKO
1
  
CRANE
1


http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

[UC] UNIVCITY NOVEMBER 2004 STATS






  
  
  
  
  
MESSAGE VOLUME

  


  
1-Nov
36
  
2-Nov
73
  
3-Nov
43
  
4-Nov
15
  
5-Nov
64
  
6-Nov
26
  
7-Nov
14
  
8-Nov
15
  
9-Nov
14
  
10-Nov
16
  
11-Nov
18
  
12-Nov
27
  
13-Nov
19
  
14-Nov

8
  
15-Nov
13
  
16-Nov
39
  
17-Nov
17
  
18-Nov
22
  
19-Nov
25
  
20-Nov
37
  
21-Nov
12
  
22-Nov
19
  
23-Nov
60
  
24-Nov
27
  
25-Nov
7
  
26-Nov
1
  
27-Nov
6
  
28-Nov
7
  
29-Nov
42
  
30-Nov
30
  
TOTAL
752
  


  


  
TOP TWENTY-ONE POSTERS

  


  
CRAIGSOLVE
60
  
CASS
40
  
MAGILL
35
  
FISHER
34
  
CASSIDY
28
  
DILLER
25
  
KRULL
24
  
KRFAPT
23
  
BENSERAGLIO2
23
  
RHOADES
22
  
DE SOTO, WILMA
21
  
LASERBEAM
20
  
BUCHHOLTZ
20
  
MLAMOND
18
  
ELLINGSWORTH
18
  
GIORNO
17
  
DUBIN
17
  
COYLE
17
  
SANDERSON
16
  
TURNER
13
  
DAS
13



  
  
  
  
  
TOP TEN TOPICS

  


  
MORAL VALUES
56
  
VOTER TURNOUT/SUPPRESSION
42
  
BUSH VICTORY
38
  
ARCADE AT THE BRIDGE
37
  
BIKE REGULATIONS
35
  
HEAT -- OIL/GAS/ELECTRIC
31
  
POLICE RESPONSE TIME --INFURIATIN'
22
  
COMPUTER TO DONATE
21
  
ATTEMPTED MUGGING ON 4600 HAZEL
21
  
ELECTION
20


http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

[UC] PHILADELPHIA HOMELESS FAMILIES OCCUPY ARMY RECRUITMENT CENTER




PHILADELPHIA HOMELESS FAMILIES OCCUPY ARMY RECRUITMENT CENTER, 
DEMANDMONEY FOR HOUSING NOT FOR WAR!Today, as part of their 
"Homes For The Holidays: Operation Bring theMoney Home" Campaign, 
dozens of homeless families belonging to theKensington Welfare Rights 
Union (KWRU) have moved their BushvilleTent City to sit in at the main 
Army Recruiting Office inPhiladelphia. As police and Civil Affairs 
officers attempted to lockthe families out of the office, the families 
quickly placed signssaying "Billions for the War, Still Nothing for 
the Poor" andphotographs of homeless children with the words, "Bring the 
MoneyHome" on every available space in the office.See 
http://www.kwru.org for photographs and 
updates.Background:November 30, 2004: Early this 
afternoon, members of the KensingtonWelfare Rights Union - homeless 
families currently living at theKWRU's BUSHVILLE in North Philadelphia 
- attempted to meet with theOffice of Housing and Urban Developement 
(HUD) in Philadelphia. Soonafter the families entered the 
building the elevators were turned offand we were denied our right to 
speak with government officials.The growing protest then moved to 
the Army Recruiting Office at Broadand Arch where the families then 
took over the Army RecruitingOffice. Others have set up to spend 
the night outside. No familyshould ever go homeless one night in 
Philadelphia. Your support isneeded.The Kensington 
Welfare Rights Union is insisting that AlphonsoJackson, the current 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, flyto Philadelphia to 
witness firsthand the impact the recent budgetcuts made by the Bush 
Administration have had on the families in thiscity."The Bush 
administration continues to put billions of dollars towardsa needless, 
brutal war while families across America suffer withoutthe basic 
necessities of life. This is not a fight for a bed in ahomeless 
shelter; it is a fight for decent, affordable housing foreveryone is 
this wealthy nation."- Cheri Honkala, Kensington Welfare Rights 
Union/ Poor People'sEconomic Human Rights CampaignKensington 
Welfare Rights Union NUHHCE, ASFCME, AFL-CIO PO Box 50678Philadelphia, 
PA 19132-9720 Phone: 215/203-1945 Fax:  215/203-1950email: 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.kwru.org


http://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

Re: [UC] Another idea (from California) whose time has come?




In a message dated 12/1/2004 9:16:21 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

  I was thinking more in terms of"historic" (well, "period" 
  wouldadmittedly be a more appropriate term) stainless steel "teardrop" 
  streamlined Airlite jobs, than the cheap tacky vinyl-covered double-wides you 
  see in the -- ugh -- suburbs and along those rural highways and byways of 
  places like -- if you'll pardon the _expression_ -- South Jersey. 


Personally I'd go for a Winnebago. There was one parked out in front of the 
Vet School for several months until they started heavy duty construction. Much 
more nomadic and mobile than a mere trailer -- you can just fire up the engine 
and leave when necessary. (I've never tried this myself; merely speculating.) 


Now I'm not talking about yer flashy modern Winnebagos, but about the 
classic Supremo model c. 1958. That's the style us preservationists go for. 
Hell, before Redford got a motorcycle he was seriously thinking about purchasing 
a Winnebago. But then he backed out. Went into salad dressings or some nonsense 
instead.

(from the Winnebago Homepage)

Corporate InformationOur Story -- 
inthe mid-1950s Forest City, 
Iowa, was looking at a bleak future. The farm economy was down and young people 
were leaving this rural area. Forward-looking members of the community set about 
bringing industry to town.In 1958, businessman John K. Hanson and others 
convinced a California company to open a travel trailer factory in Forest City. 
After a rough start, the operation was purchased by five Forest City 
residents and John K. Hanson became president. In 1960 the name of the company 
was changed to Winnebago Industries.To improve quality, Winnebago Industries 
manufactured furniture and other components designed specifically for its travel 
trailers. In 1963 a wall construction process called Thermo-Panel was 
developed. It provides a strong, yet lightweight and well insulated sidewall. 
Innovations such as these resulted in a dramatic increase in the companys 
sales.In 1966 the first motor home rolled off the Winnebago Industries 
assembly lines. Through use of the assembly line and other manufacturing 
innovations in the motor home industry, Winnebago Industries could produce a 
motor home that sold for half the price of competitors models. 



http://rosslynnbender.org/winnebago.jpg

[UC] UC Village Blues

2004-11-29 Thread Benseraglio2




black man walking down the street OH MY!
black man walking down the street OH MY!
black man walking down the street OH MY!
BETTER CALL THE COPS RIGHT NOW!

real estate prices might be topping out
real estate prices might be topping out
real estate prices might be topping out
CALL YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT RIGHT NOW!

black folk walking down the street OH SHIT!

black folk walking down the street OH SHIT!

black folk walking down the street OH SHIT!
BETTER HIDE YOUR WOMEN RIGHT NOW!


gonna get a gun and move to Idaho
gonna get a gun and move to Idaho
gonna get a gun and move to Idaho
MY HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW!

Idaho is where the white folk go
Idaho is where the white folk go
Idaho is where the white folk go
AND MY HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW!




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/gentry.html

Re: [UC] UC Village Blues

2004-11-29 Thread Benseraglio2





In a message dated 11/29/2004 3:40:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Thank 
  god he didn't mention any street names or specific blocks in his 
  poetry.On Nov 29, 2004, at 3:13 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  wrote: I was straddling the line for a while, but I 
  believe I have come to the firm decision that Ross is definitely 
  crazy. Comical as hell, but  crazy for 
  sure.

My bad. I meant the 4600 block of Hazel. Thought it was implied, but I 
should have been more explicit. Also, note the correction in my "sig".




Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/gentry.html

Re: [UC] Well, maybe Eric's leaving wasn't such a disaster for UC after all

2004-11-22 Thread Benseraglio2





Re UC Village Crime Statistics (December 2003)


Back in College Hall, President Ramsbottom was grilling the head of the 
University Police. 
"Damn it Eric!" she expostulated, spilling her second margarita. "When are 
you going to get on top of crime in the Village? You think setting up a 
Mennonite coffeeshop on 43rd and Baltimore is going to keep those restive 
darkies under control not to mention the anarchists and graduate students? Look, 
when I took office here at Penn ten years ago I vowed to clean up University 
City Village and make it a hip and trendy neighborhood to rival Harvard Square. 
Hear me? Hip and trendy, with a subtle soupcon of le bohemien! Here it is ten 
years later and all I see on the Baltimore Avenue business corridor is hair 
braiding salons, stop-and-go delis, and one stinking Mennonite coffeeshop. Now 
you listen to me, Mr. Obergruppenfuhrer, and you listen good. I want some 
tangible results by the end of the year or you're going to find yourself running 
some hick Keystone cops outfit out in Dartmouth or Cornell -- if you're lucky!" 
She slammed the table with her open palm for emphasis. "Peter, fetch me another 
damn margarita!" 
"But Dr. Ramsbottom -- I mean, Top Banana. Muggings on the perimeter were 
down by five this weekend. Rapes were down by two, not counting date rapes. Just 
give us a little more time -- we've laid the groundwork. Those Market Forces are 
bound to ride into town any day now." Tiny rivulets of sweat were dribbling down 
Hohenstaufen's fat forehead. 
"Oh rubbish," observed the swarthy Italianate Vice President. "You really 
still believe in that Market Forces nonsense? Next you're going to tell me the 
Easter Bunny and Santa Claus are going to come and gentrify West Philly." 
"And we all know there ain't no Sanity Claus. Heh." remarked Stetson 
Graykirk. 
"Oh shut up Stetson! Look, gentlemen -- and I use the term advisedly -- the 
bottom line is we get some upscale shopping on the Corridor -- lingerie 
boutique, flower shop, Amish barbecue -- I don't care what it is as long as it 
says hip and trendy -- the bottom line is we get some gentrification on 
Baltimore Avenue by the end of the year or you bozos are going to be out on the 
streets looking for jobs at Community College. Do I make myself clear?" She 
collected her margaritas and stormed into her inner office, banging the door on 
her way out. 
Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org/gentrification.html


In a message dated 11/22/2004 4:56:10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

  John Fenton of UCD just sent me 
  this:
  Crime in 
  University 
  City Year to 
  Date
  Violent Crime is down 
  6% 
  Property Crime is Down 
  5% 
  Overall Crime is Down 
  5%
  
  This area has come a 
  long way in crime reduction, "BUT" we still have a lot of work to 
  do.

[UC] more random art

2004-11-20 Thread Benseraglio2




More random art now available at:

http://rosslynnbender.org

Includes the remarkable sequence "Potholes" (fixing a hole) 


Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org

Re: [UC] Arcade at the Bridge

2004-11-18 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 11/18/2004 2:30:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Yep, 
  after the last film I saw there, I vowed never to go there again. It's a 
  shame, because otherwise it's such a nice theatre.The last time we 
  were there, someone lit up a marijuana cigarette inside the theatre. Then 
  about half an hour later 3 cops showed up during the movie and arrested 
  him and there was a big commotion. That was the last straw.
One time back in the day I lit up a joint in the old Thalia movie theater 
on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. After I had gotten nice and mellow, 
somebody tapped me on the shoulder from behind. Freaked me out. Thought it was 
the cops. But as it turned out, it was Dustin Hoffman, asking if he could have a 
toke. So I let him. I think the movie was "Monsieur Hulot's Holiday", but I'm 
not positive.





Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/library1.html

Re: [UC] DANGER: 4600 Larchwood !! Gangs of criminal smartasses sitting on p...

2004-11-16 Thread Benseraglio2

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A COMEDIAN!

Seriously, folks, the discourse on this list has degenerated to the point that NOBODY can tell what is good useful info and what is a load of balderdash. I mean, the Bullshit Quotient has soared to an all-time high. Can't tell what's up or down anymore.

For solid staid citizens like myself, all of this fucking tripe has DANGEROUSLY devalued the utility of this list. I used to trust MacGill when he ran those long detailed intricate posts explaining exactly how oil heat and air conditioning function. Read them studiously and marvelled at his expertise. Now I wonder if he's just jiving.

Similarly, I used to come to this list for the best local info on WHO to use for WHAT, how much they cost, are they reliable, etc. and now I'm afraid to pick up the phone and call the plumber for fear of getting a recorded Monty Python sketch.

I used to think Krigman was an accurate source of information. Now I'm beginning to wonder.

PLEASE PLEASE kiddies, take your shuckin and jivin to a private room somewhere and let us good UC Village yuppies carry on a DECENT conversation about useful stuff. Personally it's getting so bad that I have a good mind to UNSUBSCRIBE!! Or call the FCC.

Ross Bender
http://rossbender.rog

In a message dated 11/16/2004 9:53:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Or so I've heard, Cass.ELISABETH DUBINHillier ARCHITECTUREOne South Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107-3502 | T 215 636- | F215 636-9989 | hillier.com-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED][mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan CassSent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 9:12 AMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: [UC] DANGER: 4600 Hazel Street- Criminals Running RampantNope. Join the Town Match or sit out on your porch on 4600 BLOCK OFHAZEL STREET with Sam and Andy cleaning your shotguns. That willimprove property values.Jonathan A. Cass-Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 7:27 PMTo: Jonathan CassCc: University City ListSubject: Re: [UC] attempted muggingCan we please take the geographic reference out of the subject line.Every time you relive your war stories or cleverly banter your wittyrepartee, the property values on our block drop by about $100.Steve Metraux4600 block Hazel Ave.Quoting Jonathan Cass [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Stephen: I, of course, wasn't on the porch and didn't witness what happened, but I find it hard to believe that these nice young girls would behave the wayyou have described without some type of provocation. This sounds a lot likethe situation described by Pete in which he acted agressively towards somelocal youths only to find out that they were well prepared to defendthemselves. Although my day-to-day experience with today's teenagers is limited to my trolley ride back and forth to Center City, I can say, without exception, that the behavior of the teenagers that I ride with is justterrific.They are, almost without exception, kind, courteous, and, of course, wellspoken. (I know that Bill Cosby has given some well publicized speachescomplaining about African-American youth, but I, for one, think he is talkingcrazy!). More than once, a pleasant, freshly scrubbed teenager, knowing that I findit difficult to read the paper while standing, has offered me his or herseat. Anyway, thanks for the kind words concerning my postings. Jonathan -- Original Message -- From: Stephen Fisher [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Stephen Fisher [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 10:23:59 -0500 I think you may have deserved the beating your received for acting so aggressively to these young boys. i think you and sam are way off here. when someone initiates a mugging, that's pretty darn aggressive. they clearly set the tone and i think it was very reasonable for pete to push back. unfortunately in this case it ended up badly.I am sure their response was not intended to be vicious, butinstead was an appropriate act of self-defense. the guys were carrying bats! you think they were just heading to the ball field to hit a few and just decided to mug pete because he was there? they were clearly out to cause problems and unfortunately pete ended up a target. this was a vicious attack. there is nothing 'self-defense' about continuing to hit a guy who's obviouslyunconscious.You should be ashamed of yourself. jonathan, i think you should be ashamed of yourself. i usually respect your postings. i feel this one is way off the mark. btw, a few weeks ago (around 9pm at night), a friend was attacked on her porch at the corner of 45th and Chester. my friend was sitting on her porch drinking some tea and 6 high school aged girls approached her. 3 stayed on the street apparently as lookouts while the other 3 came onto her porch and started to push her around. she was fortunately able to get into her house AND keep them out -- the

Re: [UC] FW: Tomorrow! Public Forum on Wi-Fi Internet in Philly

2004-11-16 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 11/16/2004 4:27:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
T.T.F.N.William H. Magill# Beige G3 - Rev A motherboard - 768 Meg# Flat-panel iMac (2.1) 800MHz - Super Drive - 768 Meg# PWS433a [Alpha 21164 Rev 7.2 (EV56)- 64 Meg]- Tru64 5.1a# XP1000 [Alpha EV6][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sometimes just reading Miggle's sig sends chills down my spine!



Ross Benderhttp://rosslynnbender.org/novel.html

[UC] Dear Adeline

2004-11-11 Thread Benseraglio2

Dear Adeline:

I've just moved into my DARLING charming and elegant old fixer-upper in UC Village (of course it's in the Catchment Basin for the new Judy Rodin School of Disembodied Poetics) and it is simply GORGEOUS! Only one problemo -- the kitchen and bathroom floors simply WON'T DO!! I mean, they've got those stinkywhite vinyl blocks and crappy tiny tiles -- you know the kind that I mean? So like positively RETRO! I mean, we're talking SO twenty seconds ago, know what I mean? What do YOU advise?

Also, while we were moving in my boyfriend got mugged RIGHT ON THE FRONT STEPS!! I mean, I thought this was a nice SAFE neighborhood!! Of course I got a description of the PERP and I cellphoned it to Mommy RIGHT AWAY! The guy was of course a big scary black fellow, about 6 feet9 inches tall, really dark complexion, thick lips, scars all over his body, wearing this creepy gray hoody kinda thing. OH, and I jotted down a DISTINGUISHING MARK -- he had these big white buck teeth and in the middle of the left front incisor he had this HOLE chiseled out in the shape of a HEART! And he kinda lisped. And he said his name was Frank. So hopefully the police can put away this evildoer PRETTY SOON. I hope! Or we might have to consider moving back to Narberth. I mean, jeez, our real estate agent told us this was a SAFE neighborhood.

FINALLY, the old bathtub has about sixteen legs, a layer of thick green moss all over it, and big scary hairs growing out of the bunghole. OF COURSE the first thing I thought was like this has SO got to be replaced, but then my boyfriend was flipping through the recent issue of Urban Homes and Gardens and he saw where these Yuppies in Detroit had their old 16-legger refinished and they redid the whole bathroom in sort of New Age/Art Deco style and won the Suburban Plastic Cheese award, so can you give me any advice?

ALSO, my hind end is getting sorta saggy, I mean I AM almost 30 years old now, so I was wondering is there a good Nip 'n Tuck place in the Hood? Of course I make an annual trip to Singapore for you know like augmentations and such, but for say a monthly toneup I'd like to use some local craftsman.

Do you know any good pizza places that deliver? And where we can get the Beemer serviced? And speaking of servicing, can you tell me (just between us girls) whereel boyfriendocan get a nice BLOW JOB? I mean, you know how men are these days, and I really find that kind of stuff kinda DISTASTEFUL, know what I mean? Plus Arthur always wants me to swallow, and I'm like YECCH, gag me with a spoon. So I was reading in COSMO that nowadays young wives are like "OUTSOURCING" these unpleasant domestic duties and I figured in a hip and trendy neighborhood like UC Village there MUST be a service.

Guess that's about all I can think of right now. At any rate, I'm trying to think and nothing happens. Thanks for all the inside TIPS! Luvya. Ciao, babe.

Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org

Re: [UC] The Triumph of Moral Values?

2004-11-06 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 11/6/2004 6:01:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I am aware of only one international organization existent today which is in fact multi-Religious, which preaches and practices morals and values common to all Religions. That fact alone has caused virtually all Religions to oppose it; many others believe that it does not exist. But it does exist. Today, in the United States and some parts of the world, institutionally. it claims to be apolitical, but in truth it is probably the most radical organization, responsible for more social change, some say even the very existence of the United States, than any other organization in the history of the world. It is dedicated to the individual and to individual Freedom. It has no need to act as an organization. It trains individuals to act for themselves, on their beliefs. And collectively, its goals will prevail. [No, I'm not talking about Skull and Bones, even though both Bush and Kerry were members.]
Uh-oh. What is it? Scientology? The Freemasons? The Illuminati?



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

Re: [UC] Of course it would start in philly...Possible Machine Ir regularities

2004-11-06 Thread Benseraglio2




In a message dated 11/6/2004 8:16:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
You might ask if they still provide election workers with a video. I foundthis more helpful than the training session or the book along.

Interesting idea. What video do they use? "The Manchurian Candidate"? "White Chicks"? "The Passion of the Christ"? (Actually, the latter might not be appropriate in a Secular Democracy like ours.)



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/myersbriggs.html

Re: [UC] The Triumph of Moral Values -- Everyman's America




In a message dated 11/5/2004 9:12:55 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

There's just been a book (I didn't buy it when I first read the review and now can't remember the title or author -- can someone help, here?) that discussed the idea of the collective wisdom of the populace essentially universallytrumping the pronouncements of the people who think they have superior credentials -- intellectually and morally. Of course, thelatter find this impossible to fathom.

The Wisdom of Crowds, by James Surowiecki. See my scathing review at:

http://rossbender.org/wisdom.html




Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org/wisdom.html

Re: [UC] The Triumph of Moral Values -- A Few Questions...




After the revelations of torture at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, a poll found that 42% of Americans did not object to torturing enemy prisoners during wartime. No doubt many of them were sincere Christians, whatever that means. The problem with welcoming Neanderthals into the discussion or into your big tent is that they tend to piss all over the carpet and rape your sister. The problem with liberals in general is that they really believe in dialogue, and that it's possible to have a real conversation with the Swaggarts, the Falwells, the Robertsons, the Coulters and the Limbaughs. 

Polls also showed that, despite several years of evidence to the contrary, a majority of Americans believed the Bush claims about WMDs, connections between Saddam and Al Qaeda, nucular yellowcakes, and the rest. They knew all about Dubya's "service" in the Texas Air National Guard, Cheney and Scalia's duck-hunting trips, Halliburton's no-bid contracts and the rest.

Americans aren't concerned with the truth. They want a STRONG LEADER. One who doesn't FLIP FLOP. One who will bring FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY to the Ay-rabs, even if we have to kill them all first.

To me this year feels a lot like 1968, after Nixon's election, except that the country has moved so far to the right in the meantime that it's about to feel more like Argentina in the 70s.

Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org/rorschachmovie.html




In a message dated 11/5/2004 10:44:11 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
From: Stephen Fisher [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2004 07:56:02 -0500 It was a real eye-opener that people feel so strongly about abortion and  gay rights that they are willing to overlook everything else -- EVEN a  war they didn't necessarily believe in or a President with questionable  motives.I heard a number of people call into WHYY to explain why they votedfor Bush. What they said was much more complex and subtle than"family values". Let me see if I can capture it.These were people who cared a great deal about treating people right,doing the right thing, and (for the Christians among them) "doing whatJesus would do".They were in a dilemma. Kerry supported abortion and gay marriage,and they were deeply disturbed by that. Bush was against helping thepoor (both here in abroad) and was causing a lot of pain and sufferingby starting wars, and they were deeply concerned by that, too.In their conversations with Bush supporters about their concerns aboutBush, they heard, "Yes, those are very serious concerns, and thePresident is also very concerned about these issues. Bush reallywants to help the poor, but it's a tough problem. He really thinksthat what he's doing is the right thing. Aare very serious concerns, and thePresident is also very concerned about these issues. Bush reallywants to help the poor, but it's a tough problem. He really thinksthat what he's doing is the right thing. And Bush really wants tohelp the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, he is aware that there's alot of pain and suffering over there, but he really believes that whathe's doing is the right thing in the long run."In their conversations with Kerry supporters about their concerns aboutKerry, they heard, "What, you're one of those neanderthals who stillsupports school prayer, and wants to eliminate abortions andhomosexuality! What's next, eliminating all sex outside of marriage!I bet you think the earth is flat, too. Where have you been since1960, under a rock! I can't believe you could be s stupid."So, they voted for Bush. I don't think they heard any specialcampaign that everyone else was not aware of. I think they justreacted to it in a way that few people expected.One person mentioned that when Clinton talked about abortion, he saidthat he wanted to make abortion "legal, available, and rare." The"and rare" part communicated to people that he understood, respectedand shared their concerns about abortion.The important thing is to welcome people who are anti-gay, andanti-abortion into the discussion, not saying that we will change theparty platform, but saying that we respect their concerns, but we canagree on fundemental issues. We need to speak to Christians,particularly evangelical Christians, in language that shows that weshare their values and that our platform is based upon those sharedvalues.There's no hyprocrisy involved. My Christian friends supported Kerrybecause of their Christian values, not in spite of them. I googledfor ' "I was hungry" jesus ' and the first site I found was, "GeorgeW. Bush and the teachings of Jesus" (religiousleft.bmgbiz.net/bushandjesus.html).Just my 2 cents,

Re: [UC] The Triumph of Moral Values?




In a message dated 11/5/2004 12:57:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I once talked to a friend of mine, who was something of a Christiantheologian, and I told her that everytime I heard about Christianvalues, it was always something I opposed. She explained thatleft-wing Christians don't believe in claiming that their politicalstands are endorsed by God. So, when you see left-wing Christians inthe media, they either don't mention that they are Christian, or theydon't talk about politics.
For a little oldtime left-wing Christianity, try:

http://www.sojo.net/



Ross Benderhttp://rossbender.org

Re: [UC] Phone calls urging us to vote